Our Mission In Space

U.S. Space Command, working with allies and partners, plans, executes and integrates military space power into multidomain global operations in order to deter aggression, defend national interests, and when necessary, defeat threats.

Dear Readers:

The Outer Space Treaty of 1967 has prevented a nuclear arms race in space for nearly six decades. Signed by 115 countries, the treaty was reached through a realization that the costs of nuclear detonations in space were too high — both for civil and military space operations and especially for daily life on Earth.

So when 65 countries lined up in April 2024 to cosponsor a United Nations resolution reaffirming the banning of nuclear weapons on orbit, many were dismayed when Russia vetoed it. “Today’s veto begs the question: Why? Why if you are following the rules would you not support a resolution that reaffirms them?” United States Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield asked after the vote.

The answer could be, according to U.S. intelligence estimates, that Russia for years has been developing a space-based, nuclear anti-satellite capability. Such a deployment could disrupt the rules-based international order in space that has been the standard since the 1960s.

Russia’s perilous pursuit is one of many topics analyzed in this issue, which explores the idea of promoting responsible uses of space. Defending technologies that enable communication and atmospheric observation on Earth has become paramount. As the U.S., its allies and partners turn to the private sector for innovation in deploying satellites, defending them has become a national security priority.

Keeping tabs on strategic competitors such as the People’s Republic of China and Russia won’t be easy, however, so the U.S. and its allies are focusing on maneuverable satellites and the possibility of on-orbit refueling to increase deployment speed and flexibility.

And, as much as U.S. allies continue to promote peaceful uses of space, they also realize that space is a warfighting domain. For example, before its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Russia hacked a commercial satellite operator to disable communications. When it’s time to go on offense in space, much of the work falls to the U.S. Space Force’s 75th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron, which is featured in this issue.

Speedily deploying space assets isn’t possible against a wall of government bureaucracy, which is where the U.S. Space Development Agency comes in. The agency is slicing through red tape and getting assets to space much faster. Rather than deploying one or two satellites at a time, it is delivering hundreds from 2022 through 2030.

The U.S. and its allies aren’t the only ones who struggle with bureaucratic delays. While the rise of the PRC as a space power is prompting militaries to streamline deployment strategies, the PRC faces its own hurdles due to strict Chinese Communist Party policies and societal structures.

We hope this third edition of Apogee will foster discussion about responsible uses of space. To contribute to the conversation, send your perspectives to Apogee at  editor@apogee-magazine.com.

Regards,

APOGEE STAFF

Apogee is a professional military magazine published by United States Space Command (USSPACECOM) for foreign partners and allies including senior military leaders, government officials and academic professionals. The goal of the publication and website is to strengthen U.S. security partnerships in space and provide an international forum to address global space defense challenges.

The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the policies or points of view of USSPACECOM or the United States government. The Secretary of Defense has determined that publication of this magazine is necessary for conducting public business as required by the Department of Defense by law.